The Hells of Unzen
The Unzen-Amakusa National Park was established in 1934 as Japan’s first national park, and today spans Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima prefectures in southern Kyushu island. It’s name is derived from […]
Category Archives: Japan
Out and About: Nagasaki
Most people only know Nagasaki (長崎 – “Long Cape” in Japanese) as the second site of an atomic explosion, on August 9 1945 three days after the first attack at […]
Gunkanjima: Battleship Island
One of the most anticipated visits on my recent southern Japan tour was a trip to Hashima (端島), commonly known as Gunkanjima (軍艦島 – “Battleship Island”). Located some 15 kilometers […]
Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown
Alongside Yokohama and Kobe, Nagasaki’s Shinchi-macho district is one of Japan’s three designated Chinatowns. It is also the country’s oldest, dating back from well before the Edo Period. During Japan’s […]
Osaka, The Nation’s Kitchen
Osaka is Japan’s second largest metropolitan area and among the largest in the world with 19 million inhabitants. The popular expression it is the “nation’s kitchen” (天下の台所, tenka no daidokoro) might […]
A Day at Storm Mountain
Arashiyama (嵐山 or Storm Mountain) is a nationally designated Japanese Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. The district, including Mount Arashi which forms part of its backdrop, is a very popular […]
Farewell 2017. Hello 2018!
It’s almost 2018 – really? With a few hours left of 2017, it’s time for many to reflect on everything that’s happened during the year, good and bad, happy and […]
Miyajima: A Visit to Shrine Island
While the Itsukushima Shrine is the main tourist draw to the “Shrine Island” Miyajima, there are lots of other attractions that make Itsukushima a popular destination. As a commuter ferry […]
